Massed vs spaced E & RP in the Treatment of OCD

Much of the research on exposure and response prevention (ERP, aka exposure and ritual prevention) has been conducted in inpatient settings where exposure sessions are conducted daily for several hours at a time. However, in many outpatient settings it is more practical to conduct exposure sessions weekly or twice a week rather than daily. There has been some depate regarding whether this less-intense treatment approach would be as effective as the more intense approach. A recent study compared the two approaches with a sample of 40 individuals with OCD. All subjects recieved 15 exposure sessions, half received daily sessions and half received twice-a-week sessions. There was a three-month follow-up.

Both treatment approaches were effective. The more intensive approach tended to show more improvement at the end of treatment but this difference did not persist at the three month follow-up. Some evidence of relapse was found with the intensive approach but not with twice-a-week sessions.

Abramowitz, J. S., Foa, E. B. & Franklin, M. E. (2003). Exposure and ritual prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Effects of intensive versus twice-weekly sessions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 394-398.

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